Choosing the Right Audio Gear

While video is important, audio is a whole other mine field and even more important. If you have bad audio a viewer is more likely to click away from your video than having bad video quality. There are many different microphones out there—here is a breakdown for choosing the right microphone for the right situation.

Handheld Video Recorders

Recorders like the Olympus LS-100, Zoom H4n and Zoom H6n are great for recording run and gun audio in the field through their on board stereo microphones. All three of these microphones can record up to 96 kHz 24-bit WAV files allowing for extensive editing in post. They are also great for bringing in XLR type microphones into your camera when filming with a DSLR, recording podcast or instruments. Rent them here.

RØDE Video Mics

These highly versatile shotgun microphones are great for capturing natural sound within your video or short run and gun interview segments. They are easily attachable to your camera so you are ready on the fly in any circumstance. Rent them here.

Lapels

A small but flexible microphone that will get the job done and stay hidden. Lapels are great for interviews and places where you are far away from your subject. They are easy to use and allow you to capture crisp audio with no help or complex setups. Consider renting the Sennheiser Ew 100 or the Sennheiser AVX MKE2.

Shotgun Microphone

When it comes to feature films and short films these are the microphones you want to use. They provide the highest quality sound for capturing dialogue on set. If you’re looking for clean interview audio without having to mic your subject this is another alternative. Consider renting the Sennheiser MKE-600 or the RØDE NTG-2.

Stick to this guide to make sure you’re capturing the highest quality audio on your next project. Don’t forget to check out our full lineup of audio gear on our website and watch our exclusive audio tutorial below.